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Darius Nash Couch〔Couch's middle name was undoubtedly Nash, although a middle initial of "S" has appeared in reports and is listed that way in Dupuy, ''Harper Encyclopedia of Military Biography'', p. 194.〕 (July 23, 1822 – February 12, 1897) was an American soldier, businessman, and naturalist. He served as a career U.S. Army officer during the Mexican-American War, the Second Seminole War, and as a general officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. During the Civil War, Couch fought notably in the Peninsula and Fredericksburg campaigns of 1862, and the Chancellorsville and Gettysburg campaigns of 1863. He rose to command a corps in the Army of the Potomac, and led divisions in both the Eastern Theater and Western Theater. Militia under his command played a strategic role during the Gettysburg Campaign in delaying the advance of Confederate troops of the Army of Northern Virginia and preventing their crossing the Susquehanna River, critical to Pennsylvania's defense. He has been described as personally courageous, very thin in build, and (after his time in Mexico) frail of health.〔Gambone, ''Major-General Darius Nash Couch'', p. 51.〕 ==Early life and career== Couch 〔The correct pronunciation is "couch", not "coach", according to biographer Gambone, ''Major-General Darius Nash Couch'', p. 1 footnote reads "According to family members , the proper pronunciation is Couch as in Ouch, not Cooch as is sometimes suggested.〕 was born in 1822 on a farm in the village of Southeast in Putnam County, New York, and was educated at the local schools there.〔Warner, ''Generals in Blue'', p. 95.〕 In 1842 he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating four years later 13th out of 59 cadets. On July 1, 1846, Couch was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant and was assigned to the 4th U.S. Artillery.〔Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands'', p. 186.〕 Couch then saw action with the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War, most notably in the Battle of Buena Vista on February 22–23, 1847. For his actions on the second day of this fight, he was brevetted a first lieutenant for "gallant and meritorious conduct." After the war ended in 1848 Couch began serving in garrison duty at Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. The following year he was stationed at Fort Pickens, located near Pensacola, Florida, and then in Key West. Couch next participated in the Seminole Wars during 1849 and into 1850.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Aztec Club of 1847 site biography of Couch )〕 Returning to garrison duty, later that year Couch was sent to Fort Columbus in New York Harbor, and in 1851 Couch was involved in recruiting at Jefferson Barracks located on the Mississippi River at Lemay, Missouri. Later in 1851 he returned to Fort Columbus, and then was ordered to Fort Johnston in Southport, North Carolina, staying there into 1852, and next in garrison at Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia until 1853.〔 Couch then took a one-year leave of absence from the army from 1853 to 1854 to conduct a scientific mission for the Smithsonian Institution in northern Mexico. There, he discovered the species that were known as Couch's kingbird and Couch's spadefoot toad.〔Heidler, ''Encyclopedia of the American Civil War'', p. 505.〕 Upon his return to the United States in 1854, Couch was ordered to Washington, D.C., on detached service. Later that year he resumed garrison duty in Fort Independence at Castle Island along Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. Also in 1854 he was stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and would remain there into the following year. On April 30, 1855, Couch resigned his commission in the U.S. Army. From 1855 to 1857 he was a merchant in New York City.〔 He then moved to Taunton, Massachusetts, and worked as a copper fabricator in the company owned by his wife's family. Couch was still working in Taunton when the American Civil War began in 1861.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Darius N. Couch」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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